The great Russian departure from Poznań. Consul headed straight to the airport

The move-out process at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Poznań began on Wednesday afternoon. A truck with diplomatic corps registration arrived at the facility to load furniture and part of the building's equipment.

The Consul General of the Russian Federation in Poznań, Ivan Kosonogov, got into his Mercedes with Russian consular plates and drove towards Ławica Airport (as regulations prevented him from leaving in any other direction). Shortly after, a truck filled with equipment also left the consulate's premises.

As reported by Radio Poznań, before leaving, Kosonogov said goodbye via a messaging app to Włodzimierz Walkowiak, the longtime dean of the consular corps in Poznań and former honorary consul of the United Kingdom. Walkowiak shared with the radio station that Kosonogov thanked him for years of cooperation and informed him that his posting in Poznań had come to an end. He also mentioned that they had not been in contact since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday, the work at the consulate continued. Among other things, informational signs were removed, and the intercom system was dismantled. Boxes, home appliances, and electronics were being taken out. A bus with diplomatic plates entered the consulate grounds, where more boxes and equipment were loaded. After 2 p.m., one of the workers took down the Russian flag from the mast above the consulate building.

The spokesperson for the Greater Poland Police, Chief Inspector Andrzej Borowiak, stated that officers will continue to guard the Russian consulate building on Bukowska Street until Monday, in accordance with an agreement made with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Since the consulate will cease its operations on November 30, the agreement will expire on December 1. However, we will remain present until Monday, and we will also ensure security for any protests planned in front of the building," he announced.

The Russian consulate in Poznań was established in 1946 under an agreement between the Soviet Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of Poland. It ceased operations in 1948, only to reopen in 1960, and after 11 years, it was upgraded to the status of a consulate general.

Regarding the future of the building after the Russians vacate, no final decisions have been made yet. During a meeting with residents of Rokietnica in Greater Poland on November 16, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that if Ukraine formally requests the use of the property for opening a consulate, the Polish government would consider the request favorably.

Following this, Ukraine officially requested the transfer of the building. Andriy Sybiha, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, expressed gratitude for the suggestion and confirmed that they had already sent an official note to the Polish government with the request, awaiting further details.

Witold Horowski, the former honorary consul of Ukraine in Poznań, has expressed his opinion on the potential handover of the Russian consulate building on Bukowska Street to Ukraine. He believes that such a diplomatic mission is necessary in the capital of Greater Poland. According to Horowski, the decision to transfer the building involves two aspects: symbolic-political and substantive.

On the symbolic-political side, Horowski acknowledged that the idea of Ukraine taking over the premises left by Russia is a desirable change. However, he emphasized that such a decision would only be appropriate if it had a substantive basis. Horowski stressed that the potential transfer should not be based solely on political symbolism but also on practical and functional considerations for the Ukrainian mission in Poznań.

Horowski assessed that approximately 100,000 Ukrainian citizens currently reside in Poznań and its surrounding macroregion. This is a significant increase from the estimated 70,000 Ukrainians living in the city at the end of 2022 - half of whom arrived after the onset of the war in Ukraine. Horowski emphasized that this community requires support, which is currently limited by the availability of staff at the Consulate General of Ukraine in Wrocław.

He argued that increasing consular access in Poznań would better serve the needs of this growing population. This could potentially be facilitated by the symbolic transfer of the Russian consulate building on Bukowska Street to the Ukrainian side. According to Horowski, such a gesture would not only address the practical need for greater consular presence but also carry significant symbolic weight.

Horowski noted that if the building were to be transferred to Ukraine, it should not be merely a symbolic decision by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He suggested that the Ukrainian side should guarantee fulfilling specific expectations, such as ensuring proper staffing and operational effectiveness.

The former honorary consul emphasized that turning the building into a space for occasional consular duty, such as one day a week with a consul from Wrocław, would not meet the Polish side’s expectations. He argued that such an arrangement would differ from Poland’s expectations for the consulate's functionality.

Horowski also mentioned that the establishment of a Ukrainian consulate in Poznań has been considered for years. However, Ukraine's President decided to focus on Wrocław, where a general consulate was established. The reasons for this decision were varied. Despite this, consular services from Wrocław currently support Poznań, organizing consular duty hours in the city, though these have been less frequent recently than before.

Horowski emphasized that in the current situation, where Ukraine is requesting the transfer of the building, it would be reasonable for Poland to agree to such a request. However, he stressed that for the decision to be effective, it should be followed by specific declarations from the Ukrainian side regarding staffing and the timeline for establishing the consulate. This would ensure that the arrangement provides real support, rather than simply becoming a "satellite office" of the Ukrainian consulate in Wrocław.

The Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in Poznań was established in 2007. Witold Horowski served as Ukraine's Honorary Consul from 2012 to 2019.